Incident Prompts Inquiry Conflicting Reports Cloud Man`s `Arrest`

It seemed like a routine domestic case: a Broward County Sheriff`s Office deputy arrests a man for choking his wife during a roadside spat.

But the apparent arrest -- and subsequent un-arrest -- of John Garrett is anything but routine.

It involves the owner of an antique store on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, the temporary reassignment of a sheriff`s captain with 24 years on the force, and the apparent doctoring of police documents.

The Garrett case also has prompted an internal inquiry by the Sheriff`s Office and an ongoing investigation by the Broward State Attorney`s Office.

Investigators are looking at allegations that a member of Sheriff Nick Navarro`s exclusive advisory council helped squelch the arrest of Garrett, a Boca Raton resident and part owner of the Vilda B. De Porro shop in Palm Beach.

No other information on the advisory council`s link to the case was available.

The Broward Sheriff`s Advisory Council is a private, non-profit group of business people and politicians who pay $5,000 to hold charity events and hobnob with the sheriff.

Assistant State Attorney Don TenBrook confirmed that he is investigating the possible arrest and release of John Garrett, but would not elaborate.

Garrett and his wife, Karen, declined to comment, despite 10 phone calls to their home and business over the past two weeks. No one at the Sheriff`s Office would talk about the case.

Garrett, 40, was questioned by sheriff`s deputies about 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 while arguing with his wife near Commercial Boulevard and Florida`s Turnpike.

What happened from then on is unclear.

The Sun-Sentinel obtained three conflicting reports of the event, all signed by Deputy Vincent Fortunato, all bearing the same case number.

The first version says that Fortunato pulled over when he saw Garrett struggling with his wife in the middle of the road, outside their 1991 Ford Explorer.

Karen Garrett told Fortunato that her husband had choked her during an argument, the report says. It also says that Fortunato saw bruises on Karen Garrett`s neck.

John Garrett was arrested on a battery charge and taken to the North Broward Detention Center for booking, the report says.

There is no record of John Garrett being booked into jail.

A second report describes a similar series of events -- with some parts crossed out or edited.

In that report, all references to Karen Garrett as ``victim`` are scratched out and replaced with ``reporter.``

The entire reference to John Garrett choking his wife is crossed out. In its place is written: ``Reporter advised that at one point during the argument the suspect held on to the reporter`s arms to keep her from leaving the vehicle.``

Also written, then crossed out, is this line: ``An arrest was not made per Capt. (Angelo) Farinato.``

The official report of the incident, released by sheriff`s spokesman Ralph Page, describes a much more tame dispute between Garrett and his wife -- and says that no arrest was necessary. Page would not say if the Sheriff`s Office has or knows of the two earlier reports.

The third report simply says that the Garretts had an argument ``which became out of hand,`` they were questioned and then they were released. ``Peace was then restored at the scene,`` the report reads.

There are no references to Garrett choking his wife, or being arrested.

Page said internal affairs investigators for the Sheriff`s Office had turned their findings over to the state attorney, and he could not comment further on the case.

Fortunato, the deputy who stopped Garrett, declined comment.

Farinato, who has been temporarily reassigned pending the outcome of the incident, has hired an attorney to represent him on the matter. Both Farinato and his attorney declined comment.

CONFLICTING REPORTS

Police reports obtained by the Sun-Sentinel show that considerable changes were made in the description of incidents surrounding the apparent arrest, then release, of Palm Beach businessman John Garrett. Here are excerpts that show conflicting stories about what happened at the scene:

-- FIRST REPORT: ``(Garrett) was then placed under arrest for the above charge and transported to the N.B.D.C. (North Broward Detention Center) for booking.``

-- SECOND REPORT: ``An arrest was not made per Captain (Angelo) Farinato ... Domestic violence pamphlet was issued.``

-- THIRD REPORT: ``(The Garretts) both stated that they were having an argument which became out of hand. Peace was then restored at the scene.``